


Stay Together for the Parents

by Looktowardstheblueskies



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Baker Castiel, Bisexual Cas, Charlie is da bomb, Closeted Charlie, Closeted Dean, Fake Marriage, Gay Dean, Help, I can't even, M/M, Mechanic Dean, To tag or not to tag? That is the question, how does one tag
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-18
Updated: 2018-05-20
Packaged: 2018-09-09 10:56:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 17,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8888212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Looktowardstheblueskies/pseuds/Looktowardstheblueskies
Summary: Dean and Charlie have been happily married for four years and together for six. There is just one teeny tiny problem... Dean and Charlie aren't as straight as they pretend to be. After confessing to each other, they devise a plan to stay together so their parents never find out that they're gay. It's seemingly perfect until Dean meets him.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey there! So this is my first fic, so quick warning that this might be bad. I'm doing my best okay!

Chapter 1:

It was a long day at the shop. Some guy driving a car more expensive than all the houses Dean's ever lived in combined (which is a lot), wasted a good hour of his time insisting that Dean was doing his job wrong. If Dean wasn't so pissed off he might have found the situation funny, a guy who never did an ounce of work in his life thinking he could do a better job than a trained mechanic.

Sending a quick text to Charlie letting her know that he'd be home late, Dean decided to go to the Roadhouse and grab a drink to clear his head.

"What's wrong?" Jo asked from behind the bar. Dean had a habit of coming to the Roadhouse, a bar owned by an old family friend Ellen, whenever he was upset. "Some asshole who brought his car in today thought he was a better mechanic than me." Dean grumbled into his beer. "Don't at least half of them do?" Jo responded. "Yeah, but this guy wasted like an hour of my time. Now I'm behind on the 1966 Mustang restoration." A guy several months back brought a beaten up classic Mustang in to be restored after his son bought the 1970 Doge Dart Dean spent a good year restoring. "Im sorry about that." Jo handed Dean another bottle.

The bar wasn't too busy that evening. There was a group of friends playing pool in the back, and two college aged girls dancing with each other. At the bar there was the usual alcoholics, some people stopping in to watch the hockey game, and some other people scattered around. Dean preferred the Roadhouse like this. On weekends where too many people crowded in, it through off the vibe that attracted Dean to the bar in the first place. 

As Dean began nursing his second bottle of beer, the sound of the door opening could be heard from behind him. 

"Hello, is this seat taken?" A guy with brown hair slid into the bar stool next to Dean. "Nope." The guy smiled, "My name's Aaron." Dean put out his hand, "Dean." The shook hands and Jo took Aaron's drink order. "Where you from?" Dean asked as they settled into a comfortable conversation. "I live in Florida, but I was born and raised in Lebanon. I'm heading there now, but I decided to stop here and spend the night." Aaron explained. For the rest of the night they talked and drank until Aaron decided to leave. "Hey, ya wanna get out of here?" 

Dean froze. His eyes widened, and breathing quickened. "I'm married."

Aaron looked like he was about to have a stroke. "Oh my god I'm so sorry! Fuck! Okay, sorry, I misunderstood. I just thought we had a thing going on... and holy shit you're married!" Dean attempted to remain calm. "It's okay, it was a mistake. No problem!" Aaron looked relieved. "Okay than, well I gotta get going. Bye!" Aaron nearly sprinted out of the bar, leaving Dean with a pit in his stomach.

He wanted to say yes.

Dean had always considered himself a good husband. He was nice, always listened to his wife, and never even considered cheating. And his wife, Charlie, was a good wife. They only fought over things like movies and books, and always got along. Charlie was Dean's best friend, and vice versa. All in all they had a seemingly perfect marriage. There was just one little problem.

Dean was gay.

He's always known, but it didn't become prominent until Aaron. Aaron who didn't notice Dean's wedding ring, and mistakenly hit on Dean at a bar on a Saturday night. Aaron who Dean actually considered breaking his marriage vows for. And Dean felt like utter shit about it.

Charlie didn't deserve this, she deserved a husband who didn't have to think about Dr. Sexy on the rare occasion that they had sex. She deserved someone straight.

For exactly one month, Dean felt like he was going to puke every time that Charlie looked at him. 

"Dean, are you okay?" She asked as they ate dinner while they attempted to finish Stranger Things in one sitting. "I'm fine." Dean replied quickly, too quickly. "Dean." She said, pausing the TV. "I am going to ask this again, and no bullshitting me this time. Are you okay?" 

The guilt pooled in Dean's stomach, making him feel as if he was about to drown. Bringing himself to look his wife, the words came out before he could even think.

"I'm gay."

For a second Charlie was rendered speechless. Her eyes wide, and mouth hanging open. "You're gay." She finally spoke. "Yes." That's when the tears came. A loud, ugly sob escaped Dean's mouth as Charlie wrapped her arms around him. Silently letting Dean release all the emotions he had bottled up since his sixth grade crush on Benny Lafitte who lived around the corner. 

When the sobs ceased and the tears stopped streaming, Charlie finally pulled away.

"Me too."

Dean did a double take. "What?"

"Dean, I'm gay too."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Howdy! So thank you to @carla888 @fruitgarden and @writonic for commenting on my first chapter! Y'all made me smile until my cheeks hurt.

Chapter 2:

Dean has seen many movies, and in doing so, has seen many plot twists. So many plot twists that he has been able to predict many of them before they even happen.

This was not a plot twist that Dean predicted.

"What do you mean 'I'm gay too'?" Dean couldn't wrap his head around the fact that Charlie was anything but heterosexual. "Well, instead of being into penis, I'm more of a vagina kind of gall." Charlie acted as if she didn't just turn Dean's entire perception of her upside down. "But you married me!" Dean attempted to argue. "You married me!" 

Dean attempted to find a response, but couldn't. He didn't plan on Charlie being a lesbian. 

"Why?" Dean finally asked, "Why did you marry a guy? Your mom is nice!" Charlie frowned. "My mother is the chair person for her church's annual bake sale. I don't think she would be so thrilled with me tasting the rainbow." 

Dean had felt many things for Charlie over their relationship. He's loved her (as a friend obviously), he's felt happy for her when she got her dream job, he's even been jealous of Charlie's seemingly endless imagination. Yet, he had never felt such a deep amount of pity for her.

"Don't feel bad for me, Dean. If anything I should feel bad for you, which I do by the way. I doubt that your Dad would be so thrilled with the news." Dean let out a small laugh. "This is the man that bought me a stripper for my seventeenth birthday. I think he would kill me with his bare hands." Though neither of them acknowledged it, they both knew that Dean's father John would actually consider killing Dean if he found out. "Gotta love John Winchester's A Plus Parenting."

The show was forgotten, and they began to talk. Something that they should have both done years ago.

"So how'd you know?" Dean took a sip of the bottle of whiskey from Charlie's 2014 office holiday party. "I was seven, and I developed a crush on Leia after watching Star Wars for the first time. How about you?" Charlie grabbed the bottle from Dean. "I was in sixth grade and this new kid named Benny Lafitte moved to a house around the block. I worshipped the ground he stepped on for almost a year." Charlie nearly spit out her drink. "Benny Lafitte! The guy who ran the gumbo place in New Orleans!" Laughter filled her voice. "Yup." Charlie wiped away a few tears from her eyes. "For fucks sake. I knew you looked at him strangely!" Dean's cheeks reddened. "Leave me alone!"

Eventually the conversation slowed down, and an air of sadness settled down between them.

"Does this mean that we're going to get divorced?" Dean asked, staring down at his gold wedding band. "I guess so." Charlie looked down at her two rings. "God, our families are going to ask so many questions." Dean said. Charlie groaned. "Lying to you sucked, but life was so easier when we could just pretend that we were straight."

And that's when Dean had an idea. A stupid, unrealistic, and a tad horrible idea. 

"What is we just kept on pretending?" Dean suggested. "What do you mean?" Charlie questioned. "Well we could just stay married and pretend to be straight to our families." A smile grew on Charlie's face as Dean spoke. "That's brilliant!" Charlie exclaimed, "And now that we both know, we can like see other people and actually get to have decent sex! No offense Dean, but sleeping with you sucked." Dean laughed. "None taken."

"Okay if we're going to do this, we need to set up some ground rules." Charlie got out a sheet of paper and some multi colored markers. "Rule one," she wrote, "no telling any family members what so ever." Dean rolled his eyes, "Like that wasn't obvious." Charlie glared at him. "Okay rule two, no telling coworkers." 

The paper soon filled up with different rules.

GROUND RULES:  
1\. No telling any family members what so ever.  
2\. No telling coworkers.  
3\. Don't sleep with people you already know.  
4\. Give each other a heads up when you're going out.  
5\. No one night stands can be brought back to the apartment. Go back to their house or find a hotel room.  
6\. If entering a relationship, tell them eventually. AKA don't be an asshole.  
7\. Family events come first. We are not canceling a family dinner just because you want to get laid.   
8\. Don't go to the Roadhouse when looking for someone.   
9\. No telling friends of the family.  
10\. Keep your phone on you.  
11\. Remember to take off your ring.   
12\. Make excuses ahead of time, just in case.

They looked at the paper in pride. "One more thing!" Charlie quickly scribbled down in capital letters, "MORE RULES TO BE ADDED." Dean looked at her. "Just in case." Charlie shrugged.

As Dean reread the paper it all started to sink in. 

His wife (and best friend) not only was okay with him being gay, but was gay as well. And they were going to stay married so their parents wouldn't find out. And despite how insane it all was, the plan just might work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ITS OFFICIAL. EXPOSITION IS PRETTY MUCH OVER AND I CAN NOW START MOVING THE PLOT FORWARD AND IM SO PUMPED. LIKE I JUST TICKED OFF A BULLET ON A LIST I MADE FOR HOW I WANT THE STORY TO GO. 
> 
> IT FELT FANTASTIC. 
> 
> \- A Very Excited Writer Who Has a Love for Capital Letters


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for this taking so long! I've been sick, and then got a wonderful visit from my good friend depression who took away all motivation.   
> BUT NOW I'M BACK SO GET PUMPED

Chapter 3: 

Dean felt like shit.

Not because he had a bad day work (his day was actually quite nice) and not because he had any illness of any kind ("you have a freakishly strong immune system, Dean, like you would survive the zombie apocalypse on a high white blood cell count alone"), but because he was currently in a bar on the other side of town attempting to... pick up... another guy. 

Just thinking of it made Dean's heart race, and not in the good way.

It had been two months since Dean and Charlie wrote up the Twelve Ground Rules, and Dean has yet to much as flirt with another guy. Three weeks in, Charlie was getting numbers like it was nothing, and yet Dean was skirting around it like the plague. 

"Dean," Charlie had stated, "I'm not going to be in the apartment tonight." As Dean finished chugging a cup of coffee, he said a quick "good for you" before heading towards the door. "Dean. Most guys in your situation would be celebrating the idea of me being out of the house." Charlie crossed her arms. "I don't think most guys would be in this situation in the first place." Dean mumbled, looking down. "Dean, it's been two months. You're going to have to rip off the bandage eventually. You know the last thing I would ever want is to pressure into having sex with some random guy, but you can at least try talking to someone."

And that's how Dean found himself having to restrain from handing the bartender his wallet and just asking for whatever he had. 

It's not like Dean had never picked up some stranger at a bar before, there was a brief period between graduating high school and meeting Charlie where Dean had practically lived at random dive bars, but this was different. Instead of picking up random guys to sleep with in the name of experimentation, and instead of picking up random girls to convince himself that he is 100% without a doubt straight, for the first time Dean was picking up someone for... well fun. Not that Dean was having much fun at the moment, but he hoped that would change soon.

A bell rang as the door to the bar opened. 

"Can I get a beer?" A gravely voice spoke. "Sure thing, what kind?" The bartender had just finished refilling a cup of whisky for a man that looked like he inhaled the stuff. "Whatever's the cheapest." The newcomer took a seat next to Dean and waited for the bartender to get his drink. "So what brings you to this piece of shit bar?" The man asked, causing Dean to turn towards him. The man had blue eyes and dark brown hair that was a complete mess in the best way possible. He wore a suit with a blue tie, and an overcoat. The stranger looked like an accountant of some kind. "Just grabbing a drink." Dean responded, holding up his beer bottle. "One cheep ass beer." The bartender slid the bottle over to the man. "Thank you," he said "it tastes horrendous!" The bartender laughed, "You have no right to complain!" The stranger smirked, "I know!" Dean watched the back and forth with amusement.

"So what's the real reason for you coming here?" The stranger questioned. "What do you mean?" Dean was taken aback by the stranger actually starting up a conversation. "Well you look a tad young for the 'over 40 and in need of AA' gang, you're not watching whatever game is on, and I highly doubt your with Little Miss About to Get Married in the back, so just humor me. What are you really here for?" Dean paused for a moment as he thought of a story. "My friend claims that I need to get out more." It wasn't a lie per say, just not the full truth. "Gotta love pushy friends. So what's your plans for tonight?" Dean could see the direction that the conversation was turning down. "Just gonna hang around here, drink a few beers. Maybe I'll actually start paying attention to the game." 

"What's your name?" He asked. "Dan. What's yours?" The blue eyed stranger's smile grew. "Clarence."

Talking to Clarence was easy. Unlike the few other people to attempt striking conversations with Dean that night, talking to Clarence was practically effortless for Dean. The only thing Dean had to worry about was accidentally revealing a little too much about his life. 

"So do you work in business or something?" Dean was on his third beer at this point. "Why'd you ask?" Clarence took a sip from his bottle of shitty beer that "tasted like piss". "Well you got the whole suited look going on." Dean gestured towards him. Clarence looked down. "I do." Clarence replied casually. 

Dean spoke briefly on his career as a mechanic, but at that point the conversation started to steer in a very different direction.

"So, ya wanna get out of here?" Clarence suggested. Dean gulped. This was it. This was happening. For the first time in over six years, Dean was going to be sleeping with a complete stranger.

"Sure."


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How are y'all doing? Good? Cause I'm good! I'm really loving writing this fic and I just feel happy okay? Okay. 
> 
> BYE

Chapter 4:

Dean woke up in a room that wasn't his own.

Next to someone he didn't know.

And according to the clock, which read a mocking 9:14, Dean was late for work.

"Shit."

Memories from the night before came flooding back. 

The unfamiliar bar. The one too many beers. Clarence. The most amazing sex of Dean's life.

Quietly getting up, Dean tried his hardest not to disturb the sleeping man next to him. Dean knew well enough that hanging around would make things extremely awkward for everyone involved. Stepping onto the floor, which made a squeak so loud it made Dean cringe, Dean attempted to find every piece of his clothing.

Once he managed to find that one fucking sock, Dean crept out of the room, slowly closing the door behind himself. 

While walking through the maze of hallways to the elevator, Dean had a revelation.

He had no idea where the fuck he was.

He didn't know this part of Lawrence very well to begin with, and now he's in a hotel that could be in Nebraska for all he knows. 

"Have a good day sir!" A cheery worker called to Dean as he walked towards the exit. "Hey what's the address of this place again?" Dean asked. "2300 West 6th Street." She replied. "Thanks."

Dean now knew where he was, but also now knew that this was not walking distance from his apartment. And there was only one person he could call to ask for a ride.

"Hi Charlie."

"Hey Dean, you didn't come home last night!"

Dean knew that he would be taunted by Charlie as soon as they saw each other, but hoped that it wouldn't be the first thing she said to him when he called.

"I know. Um.. Can you do me a favor?"

"What is it?"

"Can you come pick me up?"

Laughter. 

Laughter. 

And more laughter.

Charlie was dying of laughter, and Dean was going through a list of ways he could kill himself. 

"Of course, where are you?"

"2300 West 6th Street."

"Dang, you got far."

"Charlie."

"Whatever, I'm on my way."

Mortified is a good word to describe how Dean was feeling right now. Absolutely mortified. Calling your wife to pick you up from the hotel of some guy you just slept with isn't the best way to start your morning.

"Get in loser." Charlie honked her horn as she pulled up. 

Dean opened the passenger door and winced as he sat down."

"You're a bottom! Can't say that I'm surprised."

Charlie laughed at Dean all the way home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAVE A JOYFUL DAY


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there! So midterms are coming up and I'm stressed as shit so sorry about the lack of updating. Don't worry, once midterms are over I'm going to try and get on a better schedule!

Chapter 5:

"Hey, I was just on the phone with Mary." Charlie was close with Dean's mother. "Gossiping about me?" Dean joked as he spun around in his office chair. "Nope. Sadly all the juicy stuff I have on you would break our contract." Dean rolled his eyes. "You're never going to let that go, are you?" He could practically hear Charlie's smile through the phone. "Nope! So anyways, your mom invited us over for dinner this Sunday." As much as Dean loved his mother, going home was something that Dean was not looking forward to. "Fine. What are we supposed to bring?" That's what sucks about being adult. You always have to bring some sort of offering to your host. "Wine, beer, and pie." Dean nearly dropped his phone. "Pie?" Charlie groaned. "Mary said dessert, and I assumed you would want pie. And yes I know, 'Mary's pie is the best!', but your mother is a busy woman and it's about time you helped the fuck out." Sometimes Dean thought Charlie sounded like his mother. "Whatever, I'll go to some bakery after work and get some. Bye." 

Once the phone call was over, Dean finally was able to properly begin his lunch break. 

One of the best parts of Dean's day is his lunch break.

Not that he doesn't enjoy working, he loves his job, but there truly is something magical about the feeling you get when you sit down and eat a sandwich after working your ass off. If there is something that beats that feeling, Dean has yet to find it.

Needless to say, Dean does not enjoy it when his lunch break is interrupted.

"Hey Deano!"

The voice spoke just as Dean was about to deep throat his sandwich.

"Hello Gabriel. Why are you here? Your car is due for her inspection next month."

Gabriel had purchased the 1970 Doge Dart that Dean put his heart, soul, and savings to restore. 

"I'm here to check on the car of dear ol' dad."

Gabriel's father lived out of town, so Gabriel was the one who checked on the Mustang's progress. 

"The new part should be getting in soon, but until then I'm not able to do much." 

Dean had a feeling that this was not the only reason for Gabriel's arrival, but feared finding out what it was. Gabriel was a wild card, and Dean knew just how far he could go if he felt like it.

"What did you do this weekend?"

Slept with a guy.

"Just did some paperwork."

"Okay then. I gotta get going, Dad's gonna have multiple seizures if I don't get to Pontiac in time."

"Wait. Do you know any good bakeries in town?"

Dean usually relied on his mother's fantastic baking, so he never really put the effort into finding a bakery, but he had a funny feeling Gabriel (aka Mr. I Eat Everything That Has Sugar In It) would know of one.

Gabriel smirked. A terrible smirk that made Dean nervous.

"I know of one. It's called The Vagabond Baker" Gabriel wrote down an address on the napkin Dean was going to use for his sandwich. "I think you'll like what they have to offer."

"Hey Charlie... Yeah I just got out of work... I'm going to some bakery that was recommended... No I'm not going there to pick up hot bakers... I don't care that you read about them being good with their hands... I'll see you later."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and commenting and leaving kudos! Like they literally make me jump up and down. It's kinda depressing how happy they make me. 
> 
> \- Your Happy Writer Blue


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shoutout to fruit garden for making me feel better about taking a week off of writing to focus on midterms.

Chapter 6:

The bakery was... decent looking enough.

It didn't have a "We cook with rats and the blood of children!" vibe, and it also didn't have a "Don't you just feel the diabetes slowly crawling into your veins!" vibe either. So already it exceeded all the expectations Dean had.

You see, Gabriel is a very... eccentric guy. So if this all turned out to be some sex shop in disguise, Dean wouldn't be that surprised.

"Are you just going to stare at the walls or are ya gonna actually order something?" A bored voice called from behind the counter. "Oh sorry!" Dean turned. Standing behind the counter was a girl with dark brown hair and a look of boredom etched on her face. On the black apron she was wearing there was a name tag with the name Meg written on it. "Do you guys make pie?" Meg rolled her eyes. "No. We're the one bakery in the entirety of the United States who doesn't carry pie. Can I interest you in some fried twinkies?" Meg said dryly. "What kind of pies do you make?" Dean asked. "Apple, pecan, pumpkin, cherry, lemon meringue, blueberry, etc etc. Even if we don't list it, we can probably make it." 

"I'll order an apple pie."

"Well aren't you original? When do ya need it by?"

"Sunday."

"Okay, come pick it up that morning. What name should I put it under?"

"Dean Winchester."

"Dean? Your name is Dean?"

"Yeah. Why does that matter?"

"Oh nothing. You just made my day a bit more interesting."

Dean walked out of the bakery with an odd feeling. Why did Meg care so much about his name? Dean got in his car, and hoped that Meg was just joking.

By the time Dean arrived home it was pouring raining.

"What the fuck are you doing?" 

Charlie stood, with paintbrush in hand, painting the the living room walls. 

"Painting."

"I guessed. Why are you painting our living room!"

"So there's this girl."

"Oh my fucking God."

"And she really likes the color yellow, right? And I was like 'OMG I love yellow too!' and well one thing led to the other and I may or may not have told her that I loved it so much that I painted my living room yellow."

"Dear god, give me strength. I am considering the sin of murder."

"Come on! Yellow isn't that bad of a color! It brightens up the room!"

"Yes because I really care about it 'brightening up the room'!"

Charlie sighed. "I just... it's hard ya know? Like I've taken up the identity of a married straight woman for all these years, and now that I'm free to be myself, it's hard." Dean walked over. "I get it. Like I've only slept with two guys since we made the agreement, and only one time did I actually enjoy it. I haven't even attempted to start a relationship yet!" Charlie smiled. "God. We're just a couple of teenagers, aren't we?"

Dean chose Charlie for a reason, and vice versa. They both honestly enjoyed each other's company. And even if they could never love each other "that way" they still completely loved one another. 

"So who is this girl anyways?"

"Her name is Dorothy,"

"Dorothy. Who has an obsession with the color yellow."

"Oh dang."

"I swear you are a magnet for slightly strange people."

"What do you mean?"

"Do I need to list some names? Okay let's start with your fellow larpers! There's..."

"Don't hate on Moondoor! Last time I checked, you thoroughly enjoyed the time I brought you along."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry that "Clarence" wasn't in this chapter. He's coming back soon.
> 
> I PROMISE!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO I DIDN'T FAIL ANY OF MY MIDTERMS SO HERE IS A CELEBRATORY UPDATE

Chapter 7: 

Dean felt dread pool in his stomach as he got into his car. 

There was something ominous about his conversation with Meg, and Dean had no idea what was waiting for him to come pick up his pie order.

"Ya know, she was probably just messing with you." Charlie attempted to reassure Dean to no avail earlier that morning. "This place was suggested by Gabriel, Char! For all I know they plan on kidnapping me and selling me into sex slavery!" 

The bakery looked nicer in the bright morning sun.

The outside was brick, and the inside walls painted a shade of light blue. In a window case facing outside there were various multicolored cakes that looked like they caused the most pleasant form of heart disease. The furniture was made up of mismatched tables and chairs all spray painted in white to give them some semblance of uniformity. Sitting in the various chairs were a small family sharing a small cake, two elderly women gossiping, and a man vigorously typing away on his laptop between sips of coffee. 

Dean felt calm, The Vagabond Baker was simply a bakery meant to be seen in the day light. 

And by the looks of it, Meg was not working that morning. Instead a man with messy dark hair was. 

The man was turned around, straightening up some stuff behind the counter. He was too busy aligning pastries that he didn't notice Dean waiting patiently for him to finish.

"Oh, I'm sorry!"

The man quickly got up, and Dean felt as if he had heard that voice before.

"Dan?"

"Clarence?"

There he stood, the best sex Dean had ever had himself. 

"What are you doing here?"

Clarence looked different than the night Dean met him. The suit and coat replaced with a T-shirt, jeans, and apron. Each covered in flour. God, there was even flour in his hair.

"I'm picking up my order."

"Did you know I owned this place?"

"Nope. Now I don't mean to be rude, but I have to get to my parents' house soon."

"Okay. What's your full name?"

Dean swallowed knowing things were about to get a thousand times more awkward.

"Dean Winchester, I ordered an apple pie."

"You used a fake name! And wait. Dean's your real name?"

"Yeah Dean is my real name. Why?"

"Shit."

"Um, Clarence. What's wrong?"

"My friend asked me what your name was and I said it was Dean."

"Why Dean!"

"Dean sounds like Dan okay! And don't act like that's not the reason you chose the name Dan to be your alias."

From across the bakery, one of the gossiping elders called out, "Castiel, dear, may I please have a tea refill?" 

"You used an alias too!"

"Ugh, can we please just forget this entire thing happened? Here is your pie, you prepaid last night so you can leave immediately. Have a nice day!"

Dean did not run out of the bakery. Dean most definitely did not run out of the bakery. He simply power walked and that is all.

"Hey did you get the pie?" Charlie called as Dean drove home. "Yeah." Dean was silently dying inside. "Okay who did you run into at the bakery?" Charlie had some sixth sense when it came to Dean. "So you remember that time you had to pick me up..."

"Oh my god."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HE HAS RETURNED. 
> 
> I know it took half a million years for good ol' Cas to show his beautiful self again, but I PROMISE that he's gonna be in this much more consistently now. 
> 
> This is a Destiel fanfic for gods sake.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey so I'm sick as shit (literally had an IV stuck in my hand at the doctor's last night 'cause I was "extremely dehydrated"), so I've had extra time to write. Yay! So hope y'all enjoy this chapter, and I'm sorry if there's any grammatical errors, a portion of this chapter was written with my non-dominant hand because the IV was stuck into my right.
> 
> Oh and BTW the end notes of this chapter are going to be responses to comments y'all made on the last chapter.

Chapter 8: 

Dean and Charlie stood on doorstep of Dean's childhood home, Charlie carrying a bottle of Chardonnay and Dean holding the white pastry box containing the pie. They didn't knock on the door immediately though, they were too busy arguing in whispers.

"Take the pie, Charlie."

"Why?"

"I can't."

"What the fuck is wrong with you? You can't carry a pie?"

"He made this pie."

"Oh."

"Yeah so take it."

"No! Grow up, Dean, and carry the stupid pie."

"But I feel dirty."

"Ugh, fine. I'll take your stupid sex pie."

"Thank you!"

"Whatever."

Dean stood up straight, Charlie put on her "I'm the best daughter-in-law ever" smile, and they were ready to knock on the door. 

"Dean! Charlie!"

Mary opened the door with a warm smile, and quickly went to hug them both.

"How are you?" Mary stood back, and allowed them to enter the house. 

'"We're great, Mary! How are you?" Charlie was always good at being a daughter-in-law. 

"Same old, same old. John! Get up and say hello to your son and daughter-in-law!"

John walked into the entry way with a frown on his face. "I was watching the game, Mary." Mary scoffed. "No game is worth more than your son." Dean rolled his eyes, used to his parents bickering. 

"I love your parents." Charlie smiled looking at them. "Yeah." Dean felt a brief moment of melancholy fall over them. 

"So who's ready to eat? Cause I sure as hell am." Mary lead them into the dining room. 

When it was just the four of them; John and Mary sat at the head of the table, and Dean and Charlie sat across from each other on the sides.

"So how's work at the garage, Dean?" John asked as he started cutting up his serving of chicken. "Same old, same old. Finally started making progress on the Mustang restoration. Found some guy in Minnesota who had some parts that he was willing to sell to me." John nodded, and Dean smiled. Dean's father was a man of few words, but Dean was able to read his body language after all these years. Dean knew that his father's nod was in pride.

"And how about you, Charlie? How is work on your end?" Mary asked. "It's good. Dick's still a dick, but as of late he's been taking a step back in the company to work on some nonprofit." Charlie smiled. Charlie was never a fan of her boss, and Dean didn't blame her. Dick truly lived up to his namesake.

Eventually dinner finished up, the table was cleared, coffee was brewed, and the dreaded moment came.

Dean felt nauseated has he watched his mother cut the pie. 

"This pie is wonderful! Dean where did you get this?" Mary exclaimed after taking a bite. Dean was five seconds away from excusing himself to the bathroom so he could die in peace. "The Vagabond Baker."

"The Vagabond Baker? That's a peculiar name."

"I guess so."

"Where is it?" 

"Somewhere in southern Lawrence."

"That's far."

"It was recommended."

"I see why! This pie is delicious!"

The pie most certainly was delicious. Though nothing could ever beat Mary's, this pie was beginning to become a close second. 

Dean felt dirty as his parents ate the pie. And wrong. And horrible. And a tad guilty. It's not like this pie contained poison or anything, at least Dean hoped it didn't, but it was what the pie represented that made Dean feel guilty. 

This pie was made by some one night stand he had, that he most definitely could never tell anyone but Charlie about. And even then it felt weird.

Dean could never fully be himself in front of anyone, and it fucking sucked.

"Have a safe drive!" Mary called out as Dean and Charlie as they got into the car. "Thank you!" Charlie called back.

The drive back to Dean and Charlie's apartment from Dean's parents' house wasn't that long, but this time it felt like an eternity.

"Dean, are you okay?" Charlie turned, and looked at Dean in concern.

"I'm fine."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Carla888: thank you! Hugs
> 
> Fruitgarden: sorry that your exams didn't go well :( literally thank you so much for liking Charlie though, I've been dedicating a lot of time to making sure her character is built up
> 
> Dani47: love you too! And your welcome lol 
> 
> Staunchlyblue: :D :D


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM BACK I AM IN GOOD HEALTH AND I AM READY TO ROCK.
> 
> So I've been looking forward to writing this chapter and I really hope y'all like it. I've been in a super good mood today because I had a writing club meeting today and the head really liked the short story I wrote so I've been super motivated to finish this.
> 
> Also my birthday is in a few days so yay!

Chapter 9:

Castiel always opens up the bakery on Monday mornings. It's not because he particularly enjoys waking up that early, but he does enjoy the moment of peace that getting the bakery ready for the day gives him. 

Before he could afford to pay for employees, Castiel had to open up every morning. So after his two years of owning the bakery, he had developed a routine for opening.

The first thing Castiel did was turn on the coffee maker. Not because it took very long to brew a pot, but more because he knew that he would need all the caffeine he could get. Next he would turn on the ovens and wipe down the surfaces of the kitchen area. Then once the kitchen was too his own standards, Castiel would begin the first batch of pastries. Most of the batter had been chilling overnight so it was just a matter of shaping and putting onto baking trays. After making the different icings and filings, Castiel would clean up the front, sweep the floors, and put some fresh cakes in the windows.

"Hi." Meg yawned as she walked into the bakery. She wasn't much of a morning person either. "Coffee?" Castiel offered from behind the counter. "You treat me right Clarence." Meg graciously took the cup from Castiel's hand. "Everything's started up in the back, if you could start the second batch that would be great." Meg rolled her eyes with a smile. "Only for you."

At 6:31 sharp Castiel turned the sign, and The Vagabond Baker was open for business. And about five seconds later, the first customer arrived.

Her name was Pamela Barnes and she was blind psychic woman who owned the shop next to Castiel's. "Good morning, Castiel." Pamela greeted him as she entered. Castiel never found out whether or not she knew it was him because she was psychic or had memorized his work hours. "Hello, can I get you anything?" Castiel asked, he liked Pamela. "The coffee is good this morning." Pamela responded as she started fishing out her wallet. "It's good every morning!" Meg screamed from the back, and Pamela laughed. "One coffee, on the house." Castiel poured the cup and handed it to her. He never made Pamela pay for her first cup, Pamela gave him enough spontaneous readings that they evened out.

Pamela sat down with her coffee, and Castiel started making another pot, the morning rush stood be there any minute. 

"Castiel, can you come here." Pamela asked from her table. 

"Sure."

"When was the last time you went on a date?"

Castiel would have done a spit take if he was drinking something.

"Um... I don't know. A month ago?"

Pamela smiled a knowing smile.

"I sense the possibility of love in your near future."

"Good to know."

"Castiel, I think of you as a friend, and as a friend I am going to give you a peace of advice. Put yourself out there! Your good ass can only get you so far hunny, and you should at least try dating."

"I'll keep it in mind."

"I'm being serious, Castiel." Pamela began getting up. "It'd be a shame if you ended up alone."

The rest of the day was particularly uneventful. The bakery got busy at points, but it was never too stressful.

As the sun began to set, and Castiel began to get ready to leave, Castiel could hear the sound of someone opening the door. 

"Hi." It was Dean. "What are you doing here?" Castiel tried not to sound rude, he was honestly surprised that Dean had returned after the awkwardness of earlier. 

"My friend was obsessed with your pie, so she forced me to come order another." Dean's face was turned down. "Sure, what kind?" Castiel got out a pen and paper. "Pecan." Castiel smiled. "Good choice." Dean smiled back. "I hope so."

As Dean began walking out he turned around.

"Hey Cas?"

"Yeah?"

"What time do you get off?"

"I was just getting ready to leave. Why?"

"You wanna get a drink with me?" 

Pamela's words reentered Castiel's mind.

"Sure, let me get my coat from the back."

Castiel almost didn't notice that Dean called him Cas.

Almost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dani47: hope you have a nice day too! Thank you for liking the sex pie part!!! 
> 
> Carla888: your making me blush! Oh, and don't worry, Charlie will suffer. I promise!
> 
> Darthsciphla: I AM LITERALLY DYING OH MY GOD. I wish I was creative enough for that to be intentional 
> 
> Fruitgarden: ThankYouThankYouThankYou literally your comments never fail to make my day. I hope you continue enjoying reading!
> 
> Staunchlyblue: I can only think of a few people who wouldn't feel strange about their parents eating a sex pie lol


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry that it's been around 18 days since I last updated, but I've been dealing with a lot of shit lately including, but not limited to: depression, anxiety, fucking writer's block, school work, and stress about making this chapter perfect. Like this is the first date, and there's a lot of stuff I had to establish in this chapter, so I got super stressed and shut down. I'm sorry and the next chapters should be up quicker now that I mostly have my life together.
> 
> ALSO QUICK SHOUT OUT TO THE MUSCAL SOUNDTRACKS OF DEAR EVAN HANSEN AND LA LA LAND FOR BEING REALLY GOOD TO LISTEN TOO WHILE WRITTING

Chapter 10:

Dean didn't walk into The Vagabond Baker with the intentions of asking Cas out. In fact, he intended to get in and out as soon as possible, go home, and watch Friends reruns while Charlie was out on some date. The only reason he dared enter that bakery again after the last time was that Charlie was willing to kill a family of four if it meant that she could eat another one of their pies. And how could he say no to Charlie on a starving rampage? 

Maybe it was because last time was so awkward that all other things will pale in comparison, but this time Dean found his time in the bakery much less horrible. Though Castiel was a little taken back at first, he wasn't as shocked as last time so the entire thing was much more pleasant. Dean could once again see why he was interested in him in the first place. Other than Castel being extremely good looking, Dean found it easy to talk to him.

Dean most certainly was not prepared to ask him out. The words left Dean's mouth before he could stop them, and he waited for Castiel to reject him. But he didn't. He said sure, and now they were walking towards Dean's car.

He also didn't intend to give Cas a nickname, but that wasn't to mull over at the moment.

"Is this one your's?" Cas asked when Dean stopped. "Yup." Dean was very fond of his car to say the least. "What year is she?" Dean's eyes widened. He did not expect Cas to ask that. "A '67." Dean said with pride. "My father was always much more in to cars than I was, but I know enough to know that she's gorgeous." Dean smiled.

Maybe this date would go well after all. 

They ended up going to some bar that was kind of a piece of shit, but also kind of had some of the best burgers in the state. 

"So what do you do? You already know my career path of choice, so what's your's?" Cas asked.

"I'm a mechanic."

"Surprise, surprise."

"What does that mean?"

"You are kind of a stereotypical mechanic."

"How so?"

"Well you got scruff, wear flannel a lot, you look at your car like you're going to marry her, and you have grease under your fingernails."

Dean looked down at his hands, blushed in embarrassment, and mentally cursed grease's magical ability to never go away. 

Cas laughed. "No need to get insecure. I could take twelve showers and I will never be able to get flour out of my hair." Dean felt better almost immediately.

The date went fairly smoothly, and soon they found themselves half drunk telling each other stories.

"So that's the story of how I convinced my younger brother that he was part demon for a few glorious months. Top that!" 

The stories have also turned into a competition of them drunkenly trying to one up each other's stories.

"I once lived on Buddy from Cake Boss' couch for a month until he found out that I was sleeping with one of the cake decorators."

"What? You lived on Cake Boss' couch?"

"Yeah we were on fairly good terms until Buddy found out. I can't believe he flipped out though. Like we were both consenting adults, and she seemed pretty into it."

"She?"

"I identify as this wonderful sexuality known as bisexuality."

"Oh."

"Is that a problem?" Cas began to look worried.

"Why would that be a problem?" Dean began to feel bad.

"Some people don't really trust people like me. Like there's assholes in the world that think being bi isn't a real thing, and some who don't trust us. Because obviously just since I'm attracted to multiple genders means that I am either on a stepping stone on the way to full blown homosexuality or I'm a cheating morally grey hell spawn."

"Damn. What fucking assholes."

Cas smiled. "What?" Dean questioned. "I'm happy that you aren't a fucking asshole."

The night eventually came to an end, sadly, and ended with a slightly aggressive make out session on Cas' couch.

"Wait! Dean, stop." Cas pulled away. "What's up?" Cas looked away in embarrassment. "I don't sleep with people after a first date." Dean's mouth hung open. "I know, I know. It's stupid, especially after how we first met, but you were supposed to be only a one night stand for some stress relief, no offense." Dean smiled. "None taken. I'll see you later, Cas?" 

"Definitely."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CAN I JUST SAY THANK YOU FOR LIKING PAMELA LIKE HER CHARACTER HAS BEEN IN THIS FIC SINCE EARLY DRAFTS AND IM REALLY PUMPED TO FINALLY HAVE HER MAKE AN APPEARANCE 
> 
> Dani47: thanks for the happy birthday (it was a good one) and I plan on adding more of the SPN ladies soon so get pumped 
> 
> Carla888: how could I not keep her psychic? Like she's a little more grounded in this fic, but I had to keep some supernatural stuff in this (it is a SPN fanfic after all) Hugs!
> 
> Staunchlyblue: hope date night lived up to your expectations :)


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dear carla888,  
> I promised you that Charlie was going to suffer a bit.  
> -hugs-

Chapter 11:

Charlie's date was nothing less than a disaster.

They fought about everything (who doesn't like Star Wars?) and Charlie could barely remember why she was attracted to her in the first place. Like yeah, the girl was hot, but Charlie prefers some sort of substance beyond that. 

When the date finally came to a close, Charlie found herself at a crossroads.

She could go home, tell Dean about how horrible her date was, and eat a tub of ice cream if she wanted to. She could also not do any of those things. Charlie was leaning towards option two.

You see, Charlie had this problem. She could not admit defeat for the life of her. This trait did have its advantages (you don't become queen of Moondore by making friends), but this was not one of them.

And the worst part was this wasn't even a competition.

Dean wouldn't think any less of her is she didn't have a perfect track record, but Charlie couldn't help it.

She was the one who pushed Dean to start dating. She was the one who forced him to go back to the bakery. She was the one who was supposed to show Dean that this plan could work. And Charlie felt like an utter failure.

Charlie had been lying to Dean for a while now. While she made it look like everything was fine, and every date went perfectly, she was lying. Though some dates went fine, fantastic even, others didn't go as well as she said they did.

It had gotten to the point where Charlie knew exactly where to retreat to on nights like these.

"Hey Charlie."

"Hey Jo."

The Roundhouse was fairly crowded that evening. A group of bikers seemed to have settled there for the evening and a couple of college students visiting home for Thanksgiving break.

"Your usual?" Jo asked, reaching down to grab a glass. "Yup." Charlie always got along with Jo, she was practically a little sister to Dean also not getting along with her would have probably been a deal breaker at the beginning of their relationship. 

"So where's Dean?" Jo questioned, passing Charlie the now full glass. "At home." Charlie didn't know exactly where Dean was, but assumed he would have retreated back to their apartment after going to the bakery. "Are you two okay?" Jo looked concerned. "Why wouldn't we be?" Charlie tried to act normal, but internally started freaking out. Did she know? "It's just that you've been here without him a lot lately."

Charlie played it off casually. "Nah, we're good. We've just had completely opposite schedules lately." 

Jo smiled and went off to poor another round of shots for the college kids. "Good. Now that Sam's in Stanford, you're the only one I have to rant about Dean with."

Charlie swallowed her guilt.

"Don't worry Jo, I haven't gotten sick of Dean just yet."

Charlie didn't get too drunk, but decided to walk home anyways.

"Honey, I'm home!" Charlie called out as she walked into the apartment. "Dean?" There was no response. "Hello?" 

Suddenly, Charlie realized something. She had forced Dean to go to the bakery. And if he wasn't home. 

Charlie smiled.

At least one of them was having a good evening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dani47: solid relationship? We will see
> 
> Staunchlyblue: divorce? Why would they get divorced? Don't plans like this ALWAYS go well?
> 
> Sophia: thanks! Hope you liked this one :) 
> 
> Justlistentoitagain: NO YOU'RE AWESOME


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been awhile. I know. I'm sorry! Life has been crazy and writer's block needs to stop being a thing.

Chapter 12:

Dean woke up to the sound of Charlie flipping out.

"Dean Winchester! You have some explaining to do!"

Dean knew this was coming from the moment he walked in the house to discover that Charlie was already home, but he still had hope.

"Charlie, I can explain..." Dean began. "You better be able to fucking explain! The house was empty when I came home! You could have been murdered or kidnaped or joined a cult!" Charlie screamed. "A cult?" Dean questioned with a laugh. "Don't act all innocent! I know that those stupid 'Men of Letters' have been sending you pamphlets recently!" 

"Come on Charlie. Don't act innocent, you sent me into that bakery with clear intent."

The fake anger washed away and Charlie smiled. "Well I didn't expect it to actually work. Knowing you, you would stumble in and out awkwardly, and go into the Witness Protection Program." Dean was going to retort something back, but knew the truth in Charlie's statement. 

"So how was your date?" Charlie asked, poring Dean a cup of coffee. "It was good," Dean grinned, "really really good." Charlie sat, "So was round two as good as round one. Like last time you could barely sit, but maybe you were just out of practice..." Dean spit his coffee. "Fuck, we are not talking about this." Charlie laughed. "Come on, I tell you about mine!" Dean started to retreat into the living room. "It's not like I ask you too! And anyway there's nothing to tell. We didn't have sex anyways."

"What!"

"We didn't have sex. What's so confusing about that?"

"I mean, it's not like you two didn't do it already, and you were out really late."

"We lost track of time, and we're going to do this dating thing properly."

"Dating thing?"

"Shut up."

They sat on the couch watching Chopped Junior for the rest of the morning.

"Come on! Ricky's pastries were so much better than Angela's cake!" Charlie screamed at the television. "This show is so fucking unfair!" Dean groaned, and changed the channel. They were both too fed up to continue watching. 

"Thank you for watching the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade!"

"Shit."

"Fuck."

"Charlie."

"Dean."

"Did you remember to get the dessert?"

"No."

"Fuck."

Someway, somehow, Dean and Charlie managed to forget that it was Thanksgiving. 

Charlie ran out the door to buy a bottle of wine, and Dean called the first person he could think of."

"Dean?"

"Hey Cas."

"Why are you calling? I don't mean to be rude or anything, but it's kinda busy at the bakery right now."

"So I need a pie."

"Dean, its Thanksgiving. I don't have any spare pies lying around."

"Can you make one?"

Cas sighed. "Fine. I'm gonna need a bit, I'll call you when its ready."

"Thank you!"

Dean relaxed a bit, but was still nervous. Thanksgiving was a big deal in the Winchester household, and that meant that Sam was coming down from Stanford. Fuck, Dean hadn't seen Sam since last summer. Dean groaned, another person he's been lying to since forever. 

Thankfully Cas was able to pull through and finish making a pumpkin pie just in time.

"Thanks! Your the best!" Dean would have hugged Cas if there wasn't the counter separating them. "It's fine, have a good Thabksgiving." Dean stopped. "Cas, why are you working on a holiday? Don't you have friends or family or something to spend Thanksgiving with?" Dean asked. "Holidays are the busiest days at the bakery. Dean don't make that face, I'm fine! I enjoy being here." Cas tried to reassure him. "Whatever you say."

Dean and Charlie found themselves standing on Dean's parents' doorstep again, in the same predicament as last time.

"Dean, I'm not taking the sex pie again."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope y'all enjoyed this chapter! I know it's not Thanksgiving at the moment, but setting this in the holiday season is crucial to the plot.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ITS BEEN A REALLY LONG TIME I KNOW, I'M SORRY, AND I'M GOING TO TRY TO UPDATE SOONER IN THE FUTURE. I AM ON BREAK THIS ENTIRE WEEK SO HOPEFULLY I'LL FINALLY BE ABLE TO GET A CHAPTER UP QUICKLY. 
> 
> Also sorry for literally having the Thanksgiving chapter posted on Easter, like that's probably confusing af to some people BUT THIS TIMELINE IS IMPORTANT

Chapter 13:

Castiel was never a fan of holidays. They always consisted of awkward family conversations and questions. Questions about school, the future, girlfriends, etc. His family was always more nosy than not, so the whole holiday family experience was shitty to say the least.

Dean liked holidays, loved them even. Castiel could tell when Dean came to pick up the pie. It was entirely rushed, but Cas could see remnants of a childlike excitement in him. 

This is why Cas was so shocked to see a sobbing Dean at his doorstep at midnight.

"Dean, are you alright?"

Tears streamed down his face, and in his hands was an unopened bottle of whiskey. 

"Nope." 

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Nope. I wanna get trashed right now. Wanna join?"

Dean would of loved to just let out everything that happened to Cas right then, but couldn't. Dean wasn't ready to tell him yet about his situation, and telling this story would most definitely spill the beans.

It all started when Dean and Charlie walked into the door, wine and sex pie in hand. Sam and his girlfriend Jess had arrived the night before and were watching television on the couch. John was asleep, Mary rushed back into the kitchen after letting them in, and no one else was there yet so the only option was to talk with Sam and Jess.

Sam and Jess were the type of couple that were so in love that it made other people uncomfortable. Like they'd just be hanging out on the couch, but they'd literally be twisted like a pretzel together. And in all honesty, Dean was not in the mood to deal with that right now. 

"Dean!" Sam unraveled himself from Jess. "Hey Sammy." Sam gave Dean a bro hug (just long enough to show some semblance of feeling, but short enough to suppress their manly emotions), and they all sat on the couch together.

"So how's the garage?" Sam asked, taking a sip from his healthy ass coconut water that Dean cringed just looking at. "Same old same old. A Mustang restoration has been a bitch to get through, but other than that things have been fine. How's Stanford?" The conversation was so normal. The type of normal that came so easy to Sam, but Dean struggled to portray. "It's been great! One of my professors..."

"Time for dinner!" Mary called from the dinning room.

They quickly took their seats around the table and prayed. They don't usually do grace, but Thanksgiving was one of the few days a year that Mary liked calling back to her Christianity. At least Dean and Charlie didn't go to Charlie's mother's house this year, they would be having a full blown mass at the dinner table at that point. 

"John, can you carve the turkey?" It was tradition in the Winchester household that every year John would carve the turkey, but this year was different. Instead of standing up and cutting into the bird, John remained seated. "It's about time Dean got off his ass and started carving." 

If Dean was a couple years older and ordered cheese fries instead of regular fries last night, he would have probably had a heart attack.

"What?" Dean sputtered out. John prided himself on his carving skills and use of age old technique, he wasn't just going to hand over the one thing he looked forward to every year to Dean. Was he? 

"I started carving in high school, so it's about time you caught up." Dean nodded, his hands shaking as Mary handed the knives to him. If he screwed this up than god knows how his father would react. 

"Good job." Dean's mouth hung open in shock. John was full of surprises today. The words "good job" barely left John's mouth, especially when talking to Dean. Maybe after all these years, Dean was finally doing something right. 

Dinner went alright. They talked about normal things that are talked about at every family meal, and everything was going well. Dean actually let himself think that this Thanksgiving was one of his best yet, but that all changed when Sam pulled him aside while Jess and Charlie went to help Mary clear the table.

"You like Jess, right?" Sam asked Dean nervously. "Of course I do! You two were practically made for each other! Why?" Sam smiled, "I'm going to propose."

Propose. Sam was going to propose to his girlfriend. Such a normal thing should not have affected Dean so much. He pretended it didn't, but it did.

"Today?" Sam laughed. "Of course not! When we come down for Christmas I'm going to. Like we've been together for so long, and she's the woman of my dreams so why keep waiting? I remember when you proposed to Charlie and all I could think about was how much I wanted to have the same kind of connection with someone that you two had, and now that I have it, I can't risk ever losing it."

Guilt. That's all Dean could feel. Sticky, dark, disgusting guilt.

"Well if you want my blessing you sure as hell have it. Better tie Jess into a legally binding agreement now before she realizes how out of your league she is."

"Jerk."

"Bitch."

Dean and Charlie drove home in silence. He didn't tell her about Sam (he promised Sam that he wouldn't), but Charlie could tell that something was off. They didn't talk about it though.

Charlie got out of the car once they arrived home, but Dean stayed in. "Dean, you coming?" There was one place that Dean wanted to be right now. "I have to go see someone. I'll be back later."

Dean needed to talk to Cas, but it wasn't until he was paying for a bottle of whiskey that Dean realized that he couldn't. Cas can't know about this. Not yet at least. 

"Dean, are you alright?" Cas was wearing a t-shirt promoting some marathon he must have run in and black sweatpants. Also his hair was defying gravity, Dean noted. It almost made Dean feel a little better. 

"Nope."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Nope. I wanna get trashed right now. Wanna join?"

"Okay."

They took turns taking swig of whiskey, and Dean felt better the more tipsy he became. 

"So ," Cas hiccuped, "what actually happened? I thought you liked holidays." Dean groaned. "I do. It's just that it was so fucking shitty. Like my asshole dad was like bro carve the turkey, like what a fucking prick." Cas giggled. "Your this upset over a turkey?" Dean almost laughed. "No. It's just that they are all normal as shit and here I am freaking out over a turkey and ruining everything. And now my little brother is proposing to his perfect little girlfriend and ugh! I just hate everything!" Cas stopped giggling. 

"Are you out?"

"What?"

"Like does your family know your gay?"

Dean considered telling the truth for a moment, and if he was a little drinker he probably would have. But the whiskey didn't take full effect yet. 

"Sorta."

"Did you come out today?"

The spiral began forming.

"Yes."

"And they didn't take it well?"

And deeper and deeper it went.

"Nope."

"I'm sorry."

"It's whatever."

And this was it. 

The simple little lie that started it all.

And oh, do little lies like these have consequences.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Darthsciphla: who doesn't? Well I guess Dean doesn't... let's be honest he may find it awkward, but the sex pie is a sex pie for a reason ;)
> 
> Dani47: thank you and your welcome! :D
> 
> UltraTainted: thank youuuuuu!!! I love that you love this fic! Like comments like that make me get all happy and jump up and down like the weirdo I am


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while, hasn't it? I feel like it's been half a century since I posted a chapter, and for that I apologize. Homework has been pilling up, seasonal depression is starting to kick in, finals are coming soon, etc etc. I hope y'all like this chapter, though! Like the plot is moving and I'm going to try and be better about posting. Once the school year ends, I will be posting much more often.

Chapter 14:

There are few things more unsettling than waking up in a house you don't recognize, or in this case, apartment. It was a nice apartment, smaller than the average, but still nice. It was a simple studio apartment, with a queen sized bed and a nice kitchen, and also one of the most comfortable couches Dean had ever slept on.

Dean's head throbbed as he attempted to remember exactly he got into said apartment, and after he managed to get up he did. This was Cas' apartment. And Cas was gone. Strange. On the coffee table next to the couch there was a glass of water, some aspirin, and a note.

_Hi Dean. I don't know if you remember what happened last night, so to clear some things up I'm going to attempt to answer some of the questions you're probably asking right now._

_1: You showed up at my place with a bottle of whiskey, and got completely trashed to say the least._

_2: We didn't have sex. I would never forgive myself if I took advantage of you in that state._

_3: I'm sorry that I had to go, but work is work, and bakeries only get busier on the weekends. If you need anything, feel free to come down._

_4: Also, feel free to take some food from the fridge. I always had this habit of buying too much for just myself._

_5: I have a pack of new toothbrushes under the bathroom sink that I use for when family visits, I strongly suggest using one._

_I hope you feel better, and call me if you need anything. I've been in your exact position before, and I would have killed for someone to just vent to back then. Remember, you can choose family, and if the one you were assigned to are assholes, you can always find a new one (who are preferably not assholes)._

_Hope your hangover isn't as horrid as I think it is,_

_Castiel_

 

Dean took Cas' advice, and did brush his teeth before leaving. He felt too guilty taking some food though. He lied to him, and fuck... "I'm such an asshole. A massive fucking asshole." Dean always thought of himself as a halfway decent person, but this just proves how horrible he really was.

Rule 6: If entering a relationship, tell them eventually. AKA don't be an asshole.

Dean swallowed. He technically wasn't in a relationship with Cas yet. Was he? Like they slept together once, but that was just a one night stand, and they only ever went on one date. But Dean did just show up to his house in the middle of the night, whisky in hand, because he needed someone. And he could have turned to Charlie. She would understand. It's just that Dean couldn't even imagine going to anyone but Cas at that moment.

So maybe they were entering a relationship, but it was still new. Dean had time. He would tell Cas eventually. Wouldn't he?

"I'd ask where you were, but I already know the answer." Charlie was lounging on couch, flipping through Netflix. "Is it that obvious?" Dean took a seat next to her. "Yes, and I tracked your phone to make sure. Wanna watch The Office again?" Dean almost didn't notice exactly what Charlie said.

"You tracked me!"

"Well, yeah."

"How!"

"It's the age of technology, Dean. It wasn't that difficult."

"You hacked my phone!"

"No. There's this app called Find My iPhone, and since we share an Apple ID..."

"Fuck! I hate fucking technology."

"You' re in a bad mood today. What happened? Like last night you completely freaked out. Are you okay?"

"Sam is going to propose to Jess."

"He is? That's great! Why are you upset about that? You love Jess!"

Dean laughed. "It should be fine. That's the problem. My little brother just told me that he's going to propose to his fucking soul mate, and instead of immediately planning his bachelor party, I have a panic attack." Charlie wrapped her arms around Dean, and stroked his head. She was always a mama bird. "Why did this upset you?" Dean held back a sob. "He told me that he always wanted to have the same connection with someone as we had, so he was going to make sure he didn't let her go."

"Dean, I'm so sorry."

"It's fine. I'm fine."

"Dean."

"It just got me off guard, I'm okay."

"Dean, are you sure?"

"I'm positive. Now put on The Office."

"Okay."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big shoutout to charlottefrey for literally going through and commenting on every chapter. Reading your comments have been amusing to say the least.
> 
> EternalFlame: I know. Dean is an idiot. 
> 
> Charlottefrey: that would be too easy, though! Trust me, I would smite John if it made sense in the narrative.
> 
> Meow: Sorry about the cliffhanger! I feel like an ass leaving it at that for so long, but I'm happy that you love it!


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! So I'm just here to say how sorry I am to everyone about what happened during the season finale, I hope all of you are okay. BUT HEY JARED MADE A MASSIVE BOO BOO AND IM NOT GOING TO SAY ANYTHING BUT IM NOT GOING TO STOP YOU FROM DOING YOUR OWN "PERSONAL RESEARCH"

Chapter 15:

Castiel Novak's last name isn't Novak, but he doesn't feel comfortable with his real last name. His real last name is nothing but a painful reminder of what he was before, and what constantly waited for him to fall back into. 

"Hey bro." 

"Hello Gabriel." 

"You coming home this Christmas? Or are you 'busy' again?"

Sometimes Castiel wishes that he hated his family. He wishes that he didn't feel a little guilty whenever he declined invitations to family events. 

"I'll be there, I promise."

"Good."

"How are they?"

"Mom's still an overbearing asshole and Dad's still a slightly alcoholic hermit, but other than that they're fantastic!"

Gabriel was one of the few relatives he was on fairly good terms with after everything that happened. 

"That's good. Send my regards."

"'Send my regards.' Who are you? I swear to Dad that you're the reincarnation of some asshole British duke."

"I'll talk to you later."

"Bye!"

Castiel looked out the window with a scowl. Christmas. That was part of the agreement. If it wasn't for their Christmas truce, Castiel would probably still be in Pontiac right now. God, did he hate Pontiac. It was the most suffocating place he'd ever lived in, and he's lived all over. 

As he sat stewing in his own dread for the holiday that was quickly approaching, Cas' phone began to ring.

"Hey Cas." It was Dean calling, and Cas smiled, happy that he had something to distract him from everything. "Hello Dean."

"Wanna go out?" 

"Sure, what time?"

"Like now."

"Now?"

"I'm kinda here."

Castiel looked out his window, and there sat the familiar car. "I'll be down soon."

Dean felt weird waiting for Cas. After the other night everything changed between them, Dean couldn't exactly place it, but the difference was obviously there. From the "are you okay?" texts to seeing each other almost everyday. Dean felt as if the entire relationship had sped up. 

"Hi." Cas entered the car. "Hey." Dean pulled out of the semi illegal spot he parked into and started driving. An old tape was eventually put in, and Dean started taping on the steering wheel to the familiar beats the songs provided. Cas simply watched the scenery pass by, and the two found themselves in a content silence. 

"Where are we going?" Cas asked, they had been driving for almost a half an hour. "It's a surprise." Dean answered almost defensively. "So you have no idea." Dean laughed. "Nope."

They drove for another ten minutes until Dean pointed out a park. "Why not?" They pulled over and instead of walking into the park like normal people on a normal date, they made it to the entrance, took a right, and walked into a McDonald's. 

They ordered two large fries, sat in a booth, and simply stared at each other in silence. 

"What the fuck are we doing here?" Dean asked, as if he had broken out of the haze that brought him to the McDonalds. "I don't know." Cas tried to think of who took the right first, but came up with a blank. They really were going to go into the park, but didn't. "Okay." 

It wasn't the most extravagant date Cas ever had, that would go to the one month boyfriend with a literal hot air balloon, but Cas couldn't help thinking that this one was the best. They barely spoke, and probably consumed too much carbohydrates, but Cas felt contentment wash over him. And as they walked past the park, Cas felt glad that they subconsciously decided not to go to it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dani47: Heart break? Who said they'll be heart break! Heart break never happens! Also I hope you're feeling better!
> 
> Darthsciphla: yeah... but he's our asshole!
> 
> Emcvba: HERES A NEW CHAPTER RIGHT NOW WOOP
> 
> Rosalita_sanz: hey this chapter is kinda happy! WOO POSITIVITY


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been awhile, I know. I've been super busy with school shit, but guess what....  
> SCHOOL IS OVER BITCH. That's right! School's out for summer, so I have a lot of free time on my hands, which means....  
> MORE FREQUENT UPDATES. OH YEAH GET PUMPED. 
> 
> Also thank you thank you thank you for the support. Like this fic has passed 100 kudos, has gotten 20 bookmarks, and has over 2200 hits which is just insane. Like this has grown more than I have ever thought possible, and I am so grateful to everyone who has ever took their time to read my attempt at writing fanfiction for a fandom that I am really proud to be a part of.

Chapter 16:

Sometimes Charlie wishes that she never met Dean in the first place. Everything would be so much simpler if she didn't. She could be the basic housewife with two and a half kids and a picket fence. It would all be a lie, sure, but if she married some businessman or something he'd be easier to lie to. The problem with Dean is that he is her best friend. They have the same taste in movies and tv shows and they love each other, they might not love each other the way their parents think they do, but Charlie would take a bullet for Dean and vice versa. They are family, with or without tax benefits. And the problem with family is that they can break you without even trying.

"Hey Mom!" Charlie had been trying to avoid talking to her mother, but sometimes you just have to answer the phone. "Hi homey! How are you?" Charlie loves her mother, but talking to her is a pain. "I'm fine Mom, how's prayer group going?" From years of experience, Charlie had mastered the art of diverting conversations with her mother. "Wonderful! Susan Caulfield's daughter June is getting married next May, Mary Beth has just gotten back from the Church's pilgrimage to Rome and got us all the most gorgeous rosary beads..." Charlie's mother could go on for hours without a single pause, it was truly an extraordinary talent that she possessed. "How is Dean doing?" Her mother finally finished her ten hour update on everything that was going on in the parish. "He's fine, the shop is doing well." Charlie decided to be brief, there was hardly anything she could tell her mother without breaking the contract. "That's wonderful! Be sure to give him my regards! Now, I just want to check in about Christmas." Charlie held back a groan. Her mother was coming to Lawrence from Lebanon to celebrate the holidays with Charlie, Dean, and the rest of the Winchester family. "Everything is fine. Mary is looking forward to it." Charlie's mother got along swimmingly with Charlie's mother-in-law. "Splendid! Now I have to go get ready for my lunch in at Beatrice's, I will tell her that you said hello, I'll call you later. Goodbye Celeste, I love you!" Charlie's mother was probably the only person on this earth that could get away with calling Charlie her real name. "Love you too, Mom."

Charlie hung up the phone and paced around the empty apartment. She had off from work today, the building was being fumigated, so she was bored as shit. "Hey Charlie, ya need anything?" Charlie decided to call Dean. "Am I not allowed to call my husband?" Charlie gasped. "I guess so. What's up?" Dean laughed. "Nothing, just got off the phone with my mom." Charlie groaned. "That sounds fun! How is Gertrude?" Dean was well aware of Charlie's mother's fondness for chatting. "She's splendid." Charlie mocked her mother's exaggerated voice. "Great! Now can I call you back, someone just walked in?"

"Hey Deano." Gabriel walked in. "Hello Gabriel." Dean shock his hand, it was unsettlingly sticky. "So I hear that you've been playing paddy cake with my little brother." Dean stopped in his place. "What?" Gabriel laughed. "Yay tall, blue eyes, has a stick so far up his ass that it's reached Jupiter by now."

"You're his older brother!"

"I know, it's a pity that he didn't inherit that hot gene."

"How!"

"Well Dean, there's this thing called DNA, and sometimes..."

"How are you two related!"

"When a daddy and a mommy love each other very much..."

"You don't even share a last name!"

Gabriel paused. 

"He's still going by Novak, huh?"

"Yeah."

"I guess he did legally change it from Shurley."

"His real last name is Shurley? Why did he change it?"

"That's not my story to tell, Deano."

Gabriel eventually left, but Dean couldn't stop thinking about what he just learned. A part of Dean called himself a hypocrite for getting so upset over Cas lying to him, but the other part persisted. "Maybe I should just ask him about it."

Charlie frowned at her phone. Dean had just texted her to let her know that he was going to be at Cas'. Of course he was going to Cas'. He's always there these days. With a new found motivation, Charlie decided to go look for someone. Why the hell wouldn't she? She was young, semi single, and bored as shit.

"Your last name is Shurley." Dean didn't mean to come out and say it, but the minute Cas opened the door he couldn't stop himself. "How do you know that?" Cas was taken off guard. "I've been working on Gabriel's car." Cas nodded. "Come inside." He pored himself a drink and began.

"I realized that I was bi in eighth grade. I had always been attracted to all genders, but I guess I finally came to terms with it then. My parents are really religious, so I kept myself closeted until I was in sophomore year. When they found out, my father was indifferent but my mother freaked out. She blamed everyone on God's green earth and one day I just couldn't put up with it anymore. The summer after sophomore year, I packed my bags and took a bus from Pontiac Illinois to New York. My Uncle Jimmy Novak lives in New York, and he was the only person I knew would take me in. He eventually got in contact with my mother, and they made a deal. I could like with Jimmy if I regularly kept in contact with them. So for the next few years, Jimmy became a father to me. I worked in his bakery Pontiac Pastries for a while, and he taught me everything I know. I may have not been born a Novak, but I am more of a Novak than I ever was a Shurley."

In that moment Dean was going to tell Cas. About Charlie and his parents and how much he wishes that he was as brave as Cas, but he chickened out. He just swallowed his alcohol, and pretended everything was fine. Because unlike Cas, Dean is not brave.

Charlie sighed in defeat. She had been to multiple bars, and hadn't managed to find a single person. Not wanting to go home just yet, Charlie walked into the Roadhouse. "Hi Charlie." Jo greeted her. "Hey." Charlie took a seat at the bar. "Bad night?" Jo asked and Charlie shrugged. "I'm sorry about that." Jo frowned. "It's whatever." That's when Jo got an idea. "You know what? My shift is almost over, and when it is, we are going to have the best time ever."

The bar that Jo had dragged Charlie to was crowded and loud. Jo knew the bartender or something so the drinks were cheap and a band was playing some half way decent songs. The best part about this bar was the vibe it had. It reminded Charlie of the Roadhouse when she first started dating Dean. Everyone seemed to know one another, and was just there to have a good time. Charlie decided that she liked this bar. Throughout the night Charlie and Jo took full advantage of the free alcohol, and looking back, Charlie would blame it for what happened next.

You see, Charlie broke three rules that night. 

Rule 3. Don't sleep with people you already know

Rule 8. Don't go to the Roadhouse when looking for someone

Rule 9. No telling friends of the family

An argument could be made, however, that Rule 9 was never broken because Charlie snuck out as soon as she woke up. But, that doesn't change the fact that Christmas was going to be awkward as shit this year.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dani47: thanks for the comment lol and don't worry, all secrets come out eventually :3


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have been straying a bit from my outline lately, but I think with this chapter, I've finally come back to it. 
> 
> Also, BIG SHOUT OUT TO STAUNCHLYBLUE FOR NOTICING THAT I SPELT JO'S NAME WRONG FOR AN ENTIRE CHAPTER CAUSE I'M A MASSIVE IDIOT

Chapter 17:

It's officially the holiday season! A time for celebration, decorations, and dreading the annual visit to your in laws. A cold wind blew through Lawrence on this winter morning, and Castiel's bakery had experienced an especially busy morning rush. There's something about the holidays that make people have a craving for baked goods.

"Is there a reason your calling me?" Cas asked his mother as he attempted to refill the coffee maker. "Can a mother not call her child?" Cas suppressed a groan and singled to Meg to cover his position. "I'm working." Cas went into his small office in the back of the building. "How would I know that?" Cas didn't even bother attempting to suppress this groan. "I run a fucking bakery, Mother. Why wouldn't we be open?" His mother gasped on the other end. "How dare you speak to me with such disrespect! After all I've don't for you!" She scolded. "Sorry. Now what do you need?" Cas learned that just apologizing was easier than the strung out fights with his mother. "I am calling to make sure that you are still coming for Christmas. And if so, when will you be arriving?" Cas rolled his eyes. "Of course I'm coming; I don't really have a choice. I'll be there next Tuesday." Cas was dreading the drive to Pontiac, but it was cheaper than flying and it gave him an excuse to his later arrival. "That's only three days before Christmas!" His mother exclaimed. "I'm driving, and last time I checked, I run a business that I can't really be away from for extended periods of time!" Cas had lost all patience after years of dealing with his mother. "Fine. Remember to bring some wine; we don't want a repeat of last year." Cas laughed. Last year he "forgot" that the wine was for dinner, and arrived drunk as shit. It was one of the most amusing holidays by far. "Whatever. I'll call you later." Cas hung up to the phone, despite his mother's attempts to continue their conversation. "Clarence?" Meg knocked on the door. "You good?" Meg knew about Cas' family issues, she's witnessed a great amount of fights in the years they've known each other. "I'm fine."

"Dean! Where the hell did you put the throw pillows?" The Bradbury-Winchester household was in a state of chaos trying to prepare for the arrival of Charlie's mother, Gertrude. "Check the linen closet!" Dean called from the kitchen where he was setting up the plates Gertrude had given them for their first anniversary. "I already checked! Dean, Mom's going to have a fucking stroke if we don't have her beloved pillows out!" She had given the throw pillows to them last Christmas. "Maybe they're in the bedroom?" Dean suggested. "I'll look!" Charlie and Dean were half convinced that they were going to die before New Years at this point. "Found them!" Charlie cried out in victory. "Thank fuck!"

Jo's hands shook as she restocked the bar. Jo always liked Christmas, but this year she all she did was look for an excuse to skip out on the traditional dinner at the Winchester's. "You screwed up, Jo. You screwed up big time." She mumbled to herself. Jo felt nothing but guilt towards the whole ordeal. What if she single handily broke up the happiest couple she's ever met? "Dean's going to kill me."

"How's things going with Cas?" Charlie cracked open two beers in celebration for finally finishing. "Fine." Dean responded quickly, too quickly. "Why are you being so sketchy about it?" Charlie questioned. "I'm not being 'sketchy'!" Dean defended. "Wait. You've told him, right?" They've been seeing each other for over a month now. He must have told him! "No." Dean looked down. "Dean! You have to tell the truth!" Charlie reprimanded. "I know, I will soon. I promise!"

Pamela liked Castiel. Most people thought that she was just some weirdo who scammed people out of their money, but Castiel didn't. He might have had his suspicions about psychics in general, but that didn't make him treat Pamela any differently. She respected that, and always tried to look out for Cas in the ways she could. After finishing her last reading for the day, Pamela began to close up when she got a strong feeling. Something bad was coming. Like the wind that blew through Lawrence that day, something bad was going to blow through Castiel and shake him to his core. The questions were what was going to hurt him, and when? Pamela didn't know the answers to either just yet, but the wind carried an energy similar to the one Dean carried. Pamela would warn Castiel, but something told her that he would have to find out by himself.

"Celeste, Dean! How are you!" Gertrude hugged her daughter and son in law. "Great! How are you?" Charlie loved her mom, and even though she stressed about her arrival, she enjoyed seeing her. "Absolutely wonderful! Now where are those curtains I got you?" She asked. Charlie and Dean looked at each other, they knew they forgot something. "In the wash!" Dean lied quickly. He was used to lying at this point.

Cas couldn't sleep. The sound of the strong wind blowing kept him up. "Maybe I should call Dean." He said to himself as he paced around the apartment. Something about the wind was putting him on edge. "I probably shouldn't." Cas didn't know why, but something in his gut told him not to. As he looked out the window, Cas was certain of one thing. 

Strong winds are never a good sign.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Emscvba26: Yup! Dean and Charlie are really shit at following the rules they set up for themselves. Trust me, all actions have consequences, especially their's.
> 
> Staunchlyblue: THANKS AGAIN! And you sure are on to something. When have things like this ever turned out as planned??


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey so this chapter is on the longer side, so it took me awhile to finish it. 
> 
> Thanks to all the readers who haven't given up on this yet! Like we only have a few more chapters left, and I'm so happy that people stumbled across this.

Chapter 18:

"You're late." 

"I hit traffic."

"You're three days late."

"Gotta hate rush hour!"

Sometimes Castiel thinks that he should be more respectful to his mother, especially during the holiday season.

"Now go prove that years of Catholic school tuition was worth it, and get ready for mass. We don't want the congregation thinking we're granting asylum to an escaped convict."

Until he remembers that she's a massive bitch.

Castiel walked up to his former room and took a moment to look around. It was exactly as he left it, which honestly wasn't saying much. Naomi Shurley ran a tight ship, and used her tyrannical rule to keep the house in a constant state of sterilization. After quickly opening his window, Cas dug around his coat pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes that he bought on the way there. 

"Nice to know you're still inhaling your beloved cancer sticks." Gabriel had entered the room. "I quit. Well mostly. I only stress smoke these days." Smoking was a bad habit Cas picked up in his years of teenage rebellion. "What happened to the nicotine patches I got you?" Gabriel asked. "They make me feel nauseated." Gabriel scoffed. "And those don't." Cas burnt out his cigarette, and closed the window. "Get out. I need to get ready for church."

Castiel didn't really know where he stood with religion at the moment. His family raised him Roman Catholic and he attended Catholic school until moving in with Jimmy, but after dealing with the whole "dudes loving dudes equals eternal damnation" spiel from his extremely religious mother, Cas was a bit turned off from religion. Part of Cas misses the sense of community church gave him and he did do a lot of service through the church, but another part of him hates it with a passion. 

Cas tied his tie and groaned. He'll question the universe another day. Today, however, he had to smile and sing hymns and only piss off his family members a little bit. 

"Can I speak to you, son?" Castiel jumped. While the family was in the living room waiting for dinner, Cas decided to hide in their library. "Okay." Castiel responded cautiously. Cas got along with his father better than he did with his mother, but their relationship wasn't very strong. Chuck Shurley was always very introverted and usually left his wife to deal with the children, so Cas didn't interact with his father very often. 

"How are you?" Cas took a seat at one of the chairs in front of his father's desk. He felt as if he was in high school again, being called into the principal's office. 

"I'm fine."

"Good. How's the bakery going?"

"It took awhile to get off the ground, but I think we've found our flow. Business has been good the past few months, especially during the holidays, and we've had a good amount of regulars."

"That's great! I'm really proud of you. You know that, right?" 

Cas felt as if he was going to cry. His father had probably never said that to him in his entire life. He felt stupid for still caring about his father's approval, but he didn't let that ruin it for him.

"Thanks Dad. That means a lot."

"What else has been going on? You have a girlfriend?"

"No."

"Boyfriend?" 

It was little things like that that made Cas start to think that his relationship with his father was salvageable after so many years of regret.

"Kinda, sorta... yeah. I've been dating a guy."

"What's his name?"

"Dean." 

Cas suddenly felt like he was under questioning.

"Is it serious?"

"We've only been dating for a few months, but I guess."

"Does he make you happy?"

Castiel's face reddened. 

"Yes he does."

"That's all that matters. Maybe next Christmas you can bring him."

Cas couldn't suppress his laugh.

"I'm sure Mother would be thrilled."

"I'll deal with her when the time comes."

"Thank you, but you don't have to do that. I know that you weren't so thrilled about me being bi either."

Cas' father's face grew more serious.

"I've made a lot of mistakes, son, and a lot of them has hurt my relationship with you. I never wanted us to be so... isolated, and I just want to make this better. I know that I can't take back everything that's happened, but I want to be a better father to you."

They would probably never be able to fully cross the gab between them, but they could each take a step forward and try.

"Okay."

And with that, they were called down to dinner. And as Castiel listened to Gabriel make Christmas themed innuendoes at the table, Cas felt a small glimmer of hope that maybe things were finally starting to look up.

"So your still with Dean, huh?"

Castiel and Gabriel stood on the porch as Cas took a smoke break. He never got around to actually lighting a cigarette, so they just talked.

"Yup."

"Despite everything?"

Cas paused. "What do you mean? Why wouldn't I still be with him?"

Gabriel's face dropped. "Shit! He never told you?"

"Never told me what?"

"The dude's married!"

Castiel couldn't breathe. The world seemed to be in fast forward, and he was frozen still.

"That's not funny, Gabriel."

"I'm not lying! He has a wife."

Cas' eyes dampened.

"Just shut up Gabe!"

Castiel went back in the house and ran up to his room.

"I'm sorry, Cassie. The guy's a douche canoe." 

"Fuck off!"

Cas grabbed his duffle bag and made his way to his car.

"Where are you going?"

"Back to Lawrence. I can't deal with this shit right now."

"Castiel!"

As Cas drove away, sobs beginning to escape his throat. He tried calling Dean, but was sent straight to voicemail. He quickly sent Dean a text message to meet him at the bakery in a few hours, and blasted a random music station has a distraction.

"Dean, please be telling the truth." Cas whispered as he made his way back to Lawrence. A feeling of dread pooling in his stomach.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Emscvba26: one of them did, and I have a feeling that the other is going to be finding out VERY SOON


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've had times where I uploaded frequently, and I've had times where there had been some gaps, but I had never had an entire month in which I didn't update. And for that, I am sorry. This chapter was incredibly hard for me to write. Like this is one of the last few chapters, and like a lot of shit happens, and it's just so hard seeing this fic start to end. Writing Stay Together has been once of the best experiences of my life, and I'm honored that people consistently check it out and read it and comment and give kudos and like generally not hate it. I've grown through this fic, and I can't wait to continue growing. 
> 
> For the future fic that will follow Stay Together, I've had like a few ideas, but I want to know what y'all would be into. BUT DONT WORRY. This fic ain't done yet and there is more content to come! 
> 
> NOW ONTO THE CHAPTER

Chapter 19:

Sometimes Dean thinks that he should have considered a career in acting. He would think this at awkward family diners and whenever he had to pretend that he was totally attracted to Charlie and other times that he had to pretend to be the heterosexual manly man his entire family expected him to be. This Christmas, Dean pondered how many Academy Awards he would have at this point.

"Dean! Get up and help your dear mother set the table!" Mary called from the kitchen. "Fine!" Dean responded like the stereotypical teenager he once was. "I thought adults didn't have to set the table." Dean whined as Mary scoffed. "You can start calling yourself an adult when you start acting like one. Last I checked, you are still one of the youngest 'round here. When you have children of your own, you can get them to set the table." Dean faked a laugh and hurried to the dining room. "Subtle" hints from his mother and mother in law about how he and Charlie should start popping out offspring have been becoming more frequent by the holiday. Dean would like to have kids one day, but he and Charlie had come to a silent agreement that children shouldn't be thrust into their lie. Also they weren't fond of the act of reproduction with each other.

Charlie couldn't help but flinch every time someone entered the den. Any minute now, she would be face to face with one of the biggest mistakes she had ever made. "Why so tense?" Charlie jumped as Jess took a seat next to her. "Just the business of it all." Charlie laughed it off. "I totally understand. I remember being absolutely overwhelmed when Sam brought me over the first time, and I don't think I'll ever get used to it!" Jess rambled into an anecdote as the door opened. 

"So I was talking to my friend Mary Anne about our prayer group's annual wreath auction and..." Dean started off by asking his mother in law a simple "how are you?", but it had turned into a literal five book epic about her church community drama. Dean really should have known better. "You really aren't gonna say hello?" Dean turned to see his Aunt Ellen. They weren't actually blood related, but she wasn't the closest thing to an aunt that Dean had. "Merry Christmas Ellen!" Dean quickly hugged her before returning to his seat. "You've met Gertrude, right?" Dean tried to remember the last time both his and Charlie's families were under the same roof. "We met at the wedding." Ellen said. "Great!" Dean took full advantage of the two striking a conversation, and retreated from the room.

As Dean navigated the hallway towards his old bedroom, he was pulled into a room. "What the..." Dean exclaimed before realizing it was his brother. "If you wanted my attention Sammy, you could have just asked." Sam looked in utter disarray. His long hair was unkempt and he had dark bags under his eyes. "I'm freaking out man!" Sam whisper shouted. "I can tell." Sam had started to pace back and forth. "I'm supposed to propose to Jess tonight." Sam groaned. "And you sound so thrilled about it!" Sam glared at Dean, mentally sending him the message to stop being an ass. "What do I do!" Sam asked his older brother. "You get down on one knee," "I know that!" Sam cut him off. "Then what's the problem?" Dean questioned. "I can't just propose to her like that. Just look at how you proposed to Charlie! It needs to be special." Dean had got in full larping gear when he popped the question to Charlie, in character. The gesture flew over a majority of the bystanders heads, thinking it was just Dean getting into character, and Dean had to reassure Charlie that it was an actual proposal. Dean laughed at the memory, but felt the usual sadness it brought. That was the day that Dean decided to live a lie. "Just find the right moment and you'll be fine. Trust me." Dean gave what little advice he could before Mary called them in for dinner.

Christmas Eve had gathered an even bigger crowd than Thanksgiving. Around the table sat Dean, Charlie, John, Mary, Sam, Jess, Gertrude, Ellen, Bobby, and Jo. Though the tone was pretty light, Dean could feel the small tensions growing.

Charlie looked at anything but Jo, and Jo did the same. They had both come to a silent consensus that what happened should never be brought up again, and they sure were sticking to it.

"I think right now is as good a time as any for a toast." Mary stood up. "I'd like to thank y'all for coming down tonight. Bobby, Ellen, Jo. You three may not be blood, but are just as much family as anyone else so please don't skip out on Thanksgiving next year." Mary frowned at them in fake disapproval. "Watch what you say Mary, we might just hold you to that." Ellen warned with a smile.

"Sam, thank you for finding a girl who doesn't mind traveling all the way to Kansas from California. I expect many more visits to come." Jess nodded, "I hope so."

"Dean, thank you for finding me one of the best daughter in law's a mother can ask for. And Charlie, thank you for becoming a part of our family and bringing your mother along too." Dean felt dizzy.

"John, I guess you're a halfway decent husband." The table laughed.

"Thank you all for being here, and may we all come together for years to come!" They clinked glasses and drank the good champagne Charlie had received as an office gift. 

Spirits appeared to be high as they started dinner, but Dean felt as if he was going to pass out. He refilled his glass in attempt to remedy it.

Dean and Charlie were definitely not sober by the time dessert was finished, but had not reached New Years 2015 levels of intoxication yet. Thankfully. The family had congregated into the den for post meal fun family bonding, and Dean knew that it was only a matter of time before Sam proposed to Jess. Or decided not to. Man, wouldn't that be great! Dean would much rather be Sam's get away driver than be Sam's marriage role model. 

"Okay. So now that we're all together. Jess," Dean had to withhold from swearing when his brother stood up. "You have made me one of the happiest people like ever. You are the only girl who could not only put up with my family, but become a part of them. When my own mother calls me, she asks about you first! You are amazing and intelligent and funny and beautiful and, to quote my brother, totally out of my league." The room laughed and Dean couldn't breathe. "Life can be hard, but it's a little more wonderful with you in it. Wait, scratch that, it is more than wonderful with you in it. I love you Jess, so much that it freaks me out sometimes. Will you please marry me?" Sam got on his knee and Jess started crying and Dean just wanted the whole thing to be over. "Yes!" Jess chocked out, and Dean took the opportunity to slip away and go to the bathroom.

Dean locked the door behind him and collapsed. He was just so fucking tired of lying. He'd been lying since the sixth grade and he just couldn't do it anymore. For a second, maybe not even that, he considered telling them. Walking back into that room, standing on the ugly coffee table, and shouting "I'm gay!" for the whole neighborhood to hear. Dean Winchester, the first born son of John and Marry Winchester, likes dudes! For a second, he almost considered betraying Charlie. The deal would be out the window, and Dean could actually enter the first relationship he ever had that wasn't based on a lie. But then he remembered how Charlie wasn't ready yet. Fuck, he wasn't ready yet. No one deserves to be thrown out of the closet, and he sure as hell wasn't going to do that to his best friend. Dean bit his hand to keep the sobs from escaping.

"Have you seen Dean?" Charlie turned around to see Jo. "No." Charlie shook her head. "Mom and Bobby want to say goodbye to him before they leave." Jo said. "What happened the other night, it can't happen again." The words left Charlie's mouth before she could stop herself. "Oh, yeah! Of course." Jo laughed it off, part of herself drowning in guilt. "Okay good. I have to go look for Dean. Merry Christmas, Jo." Charlie said without emotion as she quickly left. "Merry Christmas."

Dean and Charlie got out of the Winchester house as quick as humanly possible and drove home. "You good?" Charlie asked Dean as the walked into their apartment. "Nope. You?" Dean kicked off his shoes. "Been better."

Dean woke up at six on Christmas morning. He cringed in pain as the hangover hit him and checked his phone. "Shit." Cas had left multiple missed calls and text messages. Dean got up and out of the house as fast as a hungover man could, and drove over to the bakery.

Cas was standing outside, smoking like his life depended on it, when Dean pulled up. "I thought you quit smoking." Dean said, not knowing what else he could have said. Cas looked like an absolute wreck. His hair looked almost sentient, dark bags hung under his eyes, and he smelled like a chimney. "Fuck! You didn't even bother taking off your ring! How stupid do you think I am?" Dean's eyes shot down to his left hand. He broke rule 11, he forgot to take off the stupid wedding ring. "Shit." It was the only word Dean could say. "You're married! Fuck. You know part of me wanted to believe you! Part of me was so fucking loyal that I told my brother that he was a liar! I wanted to believe you so much, Dean! I wanted this to be another one of Gabe's stupid pranks and everything would be okay, but it isn't. You're having an affair and I'm just a pawn in this whole ordeal! Do you have a husband or wife?"

"Cas, please."

"Husband or wife."

"Wife."

"Oh fuck you! You're a special type of asshole! And I'm just your little gay fantasy."

"Let me explain!" 

"I'm done. I'm just done. Please leave Dean before I do something that I'll regret."

"Please!"

"Go!"

Cas walked into the building and slammed the door behind him.

And in a single moment Dean felt numb. And this numbness would last for awhile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Storm89: yeah, that's a good word for it
> 
> Born_of_the_dova13: thank you! Sorry for keeping ya waiting!
> 
> Dani47: I KNOW IT WAS DESTINED TO HAPPEN FROM THE MOMENT I STARTED WRITING 
> 
> Emscvba26: OOPS SORRY ITS NOT ALRIGHT RIGHT NOW


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry that it's been so long. School was busy, I've been busy, and overall I just had zero motivation to make the time to write for a long time. I guess since this fic is slowly coming to a close, I just don't want to finish it. 
> 
> I've been feeling really excited to keep writing as of late though so expect a more regular updating schedule in the near future!
> 
> Also I've been starting to get ready for my next Destiel fic, and I'm so pumped to start writing it.

Chapter 20:

It’s a long drive from Lawrence to Stanford. Twenty six hours to be exact (depending on traffic), but the drive and mandatory stop at a shady motel for sleep was necessary.

“Hey Sammy!”

Sam opened the door to see his brother standing on the other end. “What are you doing here?” Sam questioned.

“Not happy to see me?”

“It’s not that…” Sam tried to say it as nicely as possible, “You wouldn’t drive all the way here if something absolutely horrific or wonderful just happened. Anything in the grey area would have warranted a phone call.” 

Dean sighed. He really didn’t visit his brother as much as he should. “I can’t visit my brother for no reason?” He tried. 

“Also, you look like you haven’t slept in half a century. What happened?” Sam was too smart for his own good. For Dean’s own good.

“It’s a long ass story Sammy.” Dean attempted. “I’ve got time.” Sam opened the door wider to allow his brother in. Taking a seat on the couch, Dean decided that there was no time like the present.

“So, I’m gay as a Christmas tree.”

Sam choked on his own spit. “You’re what?”

“Gay. Homosexual. Etc.”

“But you’re the straightest person I’ve ever met!”

“Have you ever heard of overcompensating Sammy?”

“What about Charlie?”

Dean paused. He had no right to out her without her permission. “Mom and Dad were starting to get suspicious. A serious, long term heterosexual relationship and later marriage sure made them forget.” It wasn’t a lie.

Sam could barely function. His brother, who gave him advice on picking up girls and slept through the entire Lawrence High Cheerleading Squad, was not even attracted to women. Everything he thought his brother to be was nothing more than a carefully constructed lie. 

“How long have you known?”

“Sixth grade.”

“Shit.”

“I know.”

“Why... Why didn’t you tell me? I thought we told eachother everything?”

Dean wasn’t looking at his brother, but could already feel the questioning, hurt eyes baring into him. 

“Well I wasn’t exactly going to try and explain it to you while you were in second grade. I barely understood it.”

“Not then. Why didn’t you ever tell me? I think I’ve been mature enough to handle it for awhile now. And I think my teenage dinner table fights with Dad made it pretty clear that I would be supportive.”

“For a smartass, you can be dumb as shit.”

“What the hell…”

“Let’s think! If I were to tell you, don’t you think it would have slipped out at those fights?”

“Dean,”

“Dad! You’re own son is gay!” Dean mocked his brother’s voice.

“But,”

“There’s no need to feel guilty, Sammy. I didn’t tell you. I’m the one in the wrong.”

For a moment, everything was silent as the two brothers let the conversation sink in. Let the consequences of the conversation sink in.

“Dean.” Sam began. “Yeah?”

“Why now? After all these years, why are you coming out to me now?”

“That’s another long ass story.”

“I’ve got time. And alcohol. You look like you need it.”

“It all started in a bar.”

Cas was sitting alone in his apartment when he heard a knock on the door.

“Hello?” He opened it to reveal a redhead that he had most certainly never seen before standing on the other end. “Can I help you?” He asked.

“My name is Charlie Bradbury. I’m Dean’s wife.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Storm89: I'M SORRY THAT IVE TAKEN SO LONG
> 
> Stkirsch: I'm thankful for your comment! And don't worry, they'll talk eventually
> 
> Emscvba26: I think the contract is slowly starting to deteriorate. And speaking will come I PROMISE
> 
> Emik: Thank you so much! I'm sorry that you've had to wait for awhile!


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think there is only going to be two chapters after this one (or three I haven't fully decided exactly what I'm going to do yet) and that makes me incredibly sad. 
> 
> We are quickly approaching Stay Together's first birthday and I don't know if the next chapter will be up before than so I'm going to take the time to say thank you, whether you've been here from the beginning or you just started you're support is the only reason I've had the confidence to continue writing.
> 
> In celebration of one year of STFTP, I have two questions!
> 
> 1\. How did you find Stay Together? Like new readers come along all the time and I get that most of y'all find it through the Destiel tag on AO3, but did anyone find it through an alternative means? Sorry, I'm nosy.
> 
> 2\. Do any of you know what the title Stay Together for the Parents is referencing? There's a reason I titled this fic that and I'm interested to see if anyone "got" it
> 
> THANK YOU FOR (almost) ONE YEAR OF STAY TOGETHER FOR THE PARENTS AND HOPEFULLY IT DOESN'T TAKE ANOTHER YEAR FOR ME TO FINISH

Chapter 21:

“My name is Charlie Bradbury. I’m Dean’s wife.”

Castiel, without a word, let her in. From the moment he first heard of her, Cas had been imagining what she could possibly be like. Maybe she was a horrible person. A snob or general asshole who deserved… 

“By the look on your face, I’m guessing that you have some questions.” Charlie, breaking all of Cas’ theories for what might happen next, smiled at him. 

“I’m so sorry.” Was the first thing he said. “If I knew…”

“Don’t feel sorry.” Charlie cut him off. “If anything, I should be apologizing to you.” 

Cas froze. What did she mean? It was Cas who Dean had the affair with.

“Charlie. What Dean did was not your fault. He’s an asshole. You… We both deserved better.” Castiel responded and Charlie shook her head. 

“I knew this would happen the moment he broke the rules. I think he was even the one who wrote it.” Charlie said, much to Cas’ confusion. Yes, Dean did break the rules of marriage but…

“You probably have no idea what I’m talking about, do you?” Charlie interrupted his train of thought. “Not a clue.” 

“I feel like I should start off by saying that I am a lesbian and I was the reason he hooked up with you in the first place. Also, I was the one who actually picked him up after you two first ‘met’.”

“What the fuck.”

 

“You fucked up man.” Sam said after he heard Dean’s spiel (with the Charlie being gay too part edited out). “I know.”

“So do you love him?” Sam asked after they allowed Dean’s story to set in. The question was simple enough, but not exactly what Dean expected to hear from Sam next. Dean expected to be kicked out or scolded or threatened, but instead Sam treated the situation as almost normal. For a moment they were just two brothers talking about the elder’s relationship drama, and Dean realized in a single moment that this discussion was everything he ever wanted: a conversation with his brother that wasn’t a lie.

“I don’t know. We were together for a few months, but we never really knew each other that well. I feel like everyday I learned something new about him, but yet I barely scratched the surface. He had this whole life before we met, and I still don’t know who he really is.”

The answer was long, yet true. Sam sat, contemplated, and responded. 

“But you want to know more about him. You might not love him, but you could, and you’re scared that you will never get the chance to see that through.”

“Since when were you a shrink?”

“Since when were you such a jerk?”

“Since when were you such a bitch?”

Normality is strange. Even in the most unusual of circumstances, it can still be true. Dean realized just how fond of normality he was that day, sitting on the couch and bickering with Sammy.

“Why did you ever think that would work out?” Cas said after Charlie finished her explanation. “Because we’re idiots and didn’t think of the consequences of our actions.”

Castiel knew how to bake the perfect souffle and had lived in more places than he could count, but never in his life had he come across a woman like Charlie Bradbury Winchester. He could suddenly see why Dean chose to marry her (even if he could never her the way a husband should love his wife). She was quirky, yes, but not in a bad way. She was obviously caring, she wouldn’t be there otherwise. And she was someone that was generally enjoyable to be around. She may have not been Cas’ type, but it would be easy to see someone like Dean ending up with someone like her. Charlie was probably the most perfect coverup Dean could ever find, and Castiel (despite knowing what he did now) could barely look at her because she was the walking representation of the lie Dean chose to live and likely continue to choose living. 

If Dean had told Castiel about the situation from the get go, Cas would have been fine with it. But now, after everything, Castiel realized that he could never be the person Dean wanted him to be. He could never live in the shadows while the world watched Dean act out heterosexuality with Charlie. Maybe someone else could, but that was someone else’s burden to bear.

“I can never go back to Dean.” Cas declared to Charlie. “I understand.” She replied.

“I hope you both the best, but I can’t be the person Dean wants me to be.” Cas continued.

“Can you just talk to him, please? I think it can give you both some closure.”

“I’ll think about it.”

And Cas did think about it. For two weeks he could do nothing other than think about it.

He thought about it until he knocked on Dean’s apartment’s door, and then all thoughts escaped his mind as it opened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> darthsciphla: Hope you liked seeing them interact! They will have more interaction in the coming chapters :D
> 
> PearlTopaz: I CALLED 911 SO HOPEFULLY YOU MADE IT THIS LONG. I HOPE YOU DIDN'T DIE WHILE I TOOK FOREVER TO UPDATE
> 
> Storm89: MORE HAS COME SORRY FOR THE WAIT
> 
> Littlesweetpotatofry: 1. AWESOME NAME SWEET POTATO FRIES ARE MY FAV 2. HERES ANOTHER CHAPTER FOR YA
> 
> emscvba26: IM SO SORRY THAT THIS TOOK FOREVER AND THANKS FOR FORCING ME TO NOT DIE WHILE EDITING CAUSE I LITERALLY REWROTE THIS CHAPTER LIKE SEVEN TIMES


	22. Chapter 22

I feel like I owe everyone a massive apology.

It's been over a month and I still haven't posted a chapter update, and here's my explanation why.

I can't. Well, I couldn't have. Like past tense.

I don't know what's happened to me this January, but I've been feeling relatively horrendous and when I feel horrendous I either write a lot or can't write at all (I fell under the later this time).

I've been slowly starting to feel like me again, but I have midterms so I honestly don't have a lot of time to write at the moment.

The next chapter should be up this weekend (editing turned out to be me rewriting half the chapter) and I just want to let y'all know that its on its way.

Thank you,  
Looktowardstheblueskies

PS:  
Thanks for reading, y'all are amazing and I'll do comment responses with the next chapter update because I'm probably going to be deleting this when it goes up


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big thanks to ItsSPN, darthsciphla, and stkirsch for making me feel better about taking some time off to take care of myself.
> 
> I know I said that this would be up sooner, but I literally broke my hand so typing has been taking longer than usual.
> 
> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WAITING I LOVE YOU ALL
> 
> also, sorry its a bit short! typing sucks one handed and i wanted this up asap

Chapter 22:

Dean was sad to leave his brother’s, but knew that he couldn’t hide in California forever. Well, he knew after Sam told him every other second (right after saying “It’s not that I’m not happy to see you”). After six days, Dean finally decided to make the long drive back to Lawrence. If only to make sure the garage hadn’t been set on fire in his absence.

“Hey Charles. Just callin’ to let ya know that I’ll be back around three.”

Charlie paced around the apartment as the clock read 2:45, waiting for Dean to be back. She was more than happy that Dean was going to be coming home, but she felt restless at the thought. Slowly but surely their entire facade was crumbling around them, leaving nothing but the cold truth of reality staring them in the eyes.

When she was younger, Charlie would pray to every god she could find in the World Religions section of the library to be straight. She would scour through the dusty books that probably hadn’t been touched since publication in hopes that someone had to listen. It got to the point where her small, yet gossipy, hometown began thinking that she would become a theologian. Charlie quit in her sophomore year of high school after learning about the practice of “praying the gay away” and finding the entire thing rather disgusting. 

Charlie then started planning how to come out to her parents. Everything was ready, she even set a date and saved up her birthday and Christmas money as a backup, but then everything fell apart. In the may of Charlie’s sophomore year, her father died in a car accident and with him everything else. Her mother became even more religious and Charlie lived the lie until she found herself standing on an altar, staring the best friend she ever had in the face. It was too late.

“Charlie! You won’t believe the…” Dean walked into the apartment and paused at the sight of Charlie.

And in that moment, it was over. The lying, the plan, the stupid rules that were hidden in the dresser. Years in the closet, and it was time to move on.

It's hard to say who started crying first, but Charlie let out the first sob.

“No matter what, I’m here. Just fucking ask and I’ll be here.” Dean said, his voice shaking. “Me too.” Charlie responded.

“No time like the present!” Charlie declared, and dialed her mother’s phone.

“You’ve reached the voicemail box of Gertrude Middleton Bradbury! Please leave a message after the beep.”

“Hi Mom, it’s Charlie. I’m just calling to let you know that I’m a lesbian. Bye!”

Charlie dropped the phone immediately after hanging up.

“Did you just come out to Gertrude over voicemail?”

“I think so.”

“Okay. I guess I’m next.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> darthsciphla: the sleep is a good thing too use SLEEP WELL (also the sex pie will soon return)
> 
> elephino_forthehalibut: DING DING DING YOU AREEE CORRECT! I love me some good faulty logic, and I'm happy that you like the title. Titling Stay Together took me AGES and I'm happy that it payed off
> 
> emscvba26: THANK YOU SO MUCH. Omg you clearly overthink my writing abilities, but thanks so much. Its still so weird having people actually like what I write after posting this for over a year


	24. Chapter 24

Okay so this fic has been on the longest hiatus ever and I’m so sorry.

I can’t give y’all an exact date that the next chap will be posted, but it I can promise that it won’t be another three months.

With the school year starting to rap up, I’ve been a literal pile of anxiety and I just haven’t been able to write. 

Trust me, I will finish this fic. I’ve literally had the ending planned out from the beginning and I will make it to the end if only for my own satisfaction.

Also, how would y’all like a hs au that connects to the show’s like first five seasons in a secret way and is half comedy half holy shit the world is ending?? I’ve had the idea for it since before Stay Together was even a glimmer of an idea, but I keep thinking about it. Like I have others ideas for my second destiel fic so no promises, but I’m just curious if y’all would read it.

Stay Together will return soon, and I thank y’all for putting up with my eratic updating.

SEE Y’ALL SOON

**Author's Note:**

> So yeah. This is my first chapter I suppose. Okay I know it's short, but the next chapter should be longer! ¡Adios!  
> -Blue


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